Patient No-Show Rate Statistics: 2026 Data
National no-show rates commonly range from 5% to 30%, depending on specialty, setting, patient population, and scheduling lead time. At the system level, missed appointments cost the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $150 billion annually, while individual physician practices may lose more than $150,000 per year from unfilled appointment slots.
In our 2026 analysis, our team gathered data on patient no-show rates across outpatient settings, specialties, appointment lead times, and practice sizes. Below are the results of our research compiled from MGMA polling data, peer-reviewed studies, healthcare technology analyses, and published industry benchmarks.
Key Patient No-Show Rate Statistics
| Metric | Finding |
|---|---|
| Metric Average no-show rate across U.S. outpatient clinics | Finding Approximately 20% to 30% |
| Metric Global average patient no-show rate | Finding Approximately 23.5% |
| Metric Annual cost of missed appointments to the U.S. healthcare system | Finding Approximately $150 billion |
| Metric Average revenue lost per missed appointment | Finding Approximately $200 |
| Metric Estimated annual revenue loss for an independent physician practice | Finding Approximately $150,000 |
| Metric Medical groups reporting no-show rate increases in 2025 | Finding 27% |
| Metric Medical groups reporting stable or decreased no-show rates in 2025 | Finding 73% |
| Metric Patients who missed a healthcare appointment in the past year | Finding 52% |
| Metric Patients more likely not to return within 18 months after missing one PCP visit | Finding 70% |
| Metric Reduction in no-shows achievable with automated multi-channel reminders | Finding 30% to 60% |
| Metric Reduction achievable with SMS reminders alone | Finding Up to 38% |
| Metric No-show rate for same-day appointments | Finding Approximately 2% |
| Metric No-show rate for appointments scheduled 3 or more weeks in advance | Finding Approximately 22% |
| Metric Most common patient-reported reason for a no-show | Finding Forgetting the appointment |
Patient No-Show Rate Overview
The table below summarizes reported patient no-show rate ranges, median rates, and common characteristics across outpatient healthcare settings.
No-show rates vary by care setting, appointment type, patient population, scheduling lead time, and operational factors such as reminder workflows, transportation access, and rescheduling options.
| Healthcare Setting | No-Show Rate Range | Median Rate | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare Setting Outpatient clinics | No-Show Rate Range 5% to 30% | Median Rate 15% to 20% | Key Characteristics Wide variation by specialty, patient population, and reminder workflow |
| Healthcare Setting Primary care practices | No-Show Rate Range 5% to 20% | Median Rate 12% to 15% | Key Characteristics Lower for established patients, higher for new patients |
| Healthcare Setting Specialty care practices | No-Show Rate Range 10% to 30% | Median Rate 18% to 22% | Key Characteristics Higher rates often tied to longer appointment lead times |
| Healthcare Setting Safety-net and FQHC facilities | No-Show Rate Range 15% to 40% | Median Rate 25% to 30% | Key Characteristics Elevated rates linked to transportation, economic, and coverage barriers |
| Healthcare Setting Urgent care centers | No-Show Rate Range 2% to 8% | Median Rate Approximately 5% | Key Characteristics Lower rates due to same-day scheduling and acute patient need |
Financial Impact of Patient No-Shows
The table below summarizes estimated financial impacts associated with patient no-shows at the appointment, practice, clinic, and healthcare system levels.
Financial impact varies by reimbursement rate, appointment volume, provider capacity, specialty mix, and the number of unused appointment slots that cannot be refilled.
| Scale | Cost Metric | Annual Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Scale Per appointment | Cost Metric Approximately $200 average revenue loss | Annual Impact Median reimbursement per missed visit |
| Scale Single physician practice | Cost Metric Approximately $150,000 potential annual loss | Annual Impact Based on several missed appointments per day |
| Scale Multi-physician clinic | Cost Metric $1 million or more documented | Annual Impact Depends on annual no-show volume and reimbursement mix |
| Scale U.S. healthcare system | Cost Metric Approximately $150 billion | Annual Impact National aggregate across care settings |
No-Show Rates by Medical Specialty
No-show rates vary widely across specialties, with the highest rates occurring in sleep clinics and pediatric practices, and the lowest in general surgery and neurology.
| Medical Specialty | Typical No-Show Rate | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Medical SpecialtyPrimary care | Typical No-Show RateApproximately 19% | Range5% to 20% |
| Medical SpecialtyOB-GYN | Typical No-Show RateApproximately 18% | Range12% to 25% |
| Medical SpecialtyCardiology | Typical No-Show Rate8% to 15% | Range6% to 18% |
| Medical SpecialtyNeurology | Typical No-Show Rate8% to 12% | Range6% to 14% |
| Medical SpecialtyGeneral surgery | Typical No-Show Rate8% to 12% | Range8% to 22% |
| Medical SpecialtyDermatology | Typical No-Show Rate10% to 18% | Range10% to 25% |
| Medical SpecialtyOrthopedics | Typical No-Show Rate12% to 20% | Range10% to 25% |
| Medical SpecialtyDentistry | Typical No-Show RateApproximately 15% | RangeVaries by practice |
| Medical SpecialtyBehavioral health and psychiatry | Typical No-Show Rate15% to 25% | Range12% to 32% |
| Medical SpecialtyOphthalmology | Typical No-Show RateApproximately 22% | RangeVaries by practice |
| Medical SpecialtyOncology | Typical No-Show RateApproximately 25% | RangeVaries by practice |
| Medical SpecialtyPediatrics | Typical No-Show Rate18% to 30% | Range15% to 35% |
| Medical SpecialtySleep clinics | Typical No-Show RateApproximately 39% | RangeVaries by clinic |
No-Show Rates by Appointment Lead Time
Appointment lead time is one of the strongest predictors of no-shows. The longer the gap between scheduling and the visit date, the more likely a patient is to forget, encounter a conflict, or lose urgency.
| Appointment Lead Time | No-Show Rate |
|---|---|
| Appointment Lead TimeSame-day | No-Show RateApproximately 2% |
| Appointment Lead Time1 to 2 days | No-Show RateApproximately 4% |
| Appointment Lead Time3 to 7 days | No-Show RateApproximately 9% |
| Appointment Lead Time1 to 2 weeks | No-Show RateApproximately 15% |
| Appointment Lead Time3 or more weeks | No-Show RateApproximately 22% |
No-Show Trend Analysis
An August 2025 MGMA Stat poll of 265 medical group respondents provides one of the most current national snapshots of no-show trends across U.S. ambulatory practices.
Often tied to successful intervention implementation.
Many practices already had reminder systems in place.
Often linked to access barriers, economic pressure, and coverage instability.
| No-Show Trend in 2025 | Percentage of Practices | Context |
|---|---|---|
| No-Show Trend in 2025No-show rates decreased | Percentage of Practices13% | ContextOften tied to successful intervention implementation |
| No-Show Trend in 2025No-show rates remained stable | Percentage of Practices60% | ContextMany practices already had reminder systems in place |
| No-Show Trend in 2025No-show rates increased | Percentage of Practices27% | ContextOften linked to access barriers, economic pressure, and coverage instability |
About This Report
This report was created for DocVA to help healthcare practices understand current patient no-show rate statistics, benchmark their performance against national data, and identify practical ways to reduce missed appointments and recover lost revenue.
Sources
- First Page Sage Research Study, First Page Sage, July 2026
- Patient No-Shows in 2025: What’s Changing and What to Do About It | MGMA
- Patient No-Show Rates: What the Data Says and What Health Systems Can Do | DexCare
- 50+ Latest Patient No-Show Statistics You Need to Know | Dialog Health
- No-Show Statistics & Data 2026 | Appointment Reminder
- Behavioral Health No-Show Rates: Benchmarks & Trends | Tebra
- Average Patient No-Show Rate: Your 2025 Guide | Curogram
- Patient No-Show Rates in 2026: Causes, Costs, and How to Fix Them | CallMyDoc
- The Average No-Show Rate in Primary Care and How to Reduce It | Clearwave
- 8 Ways to Reduce Patient No-Show Rates | Artera
- No-Show Appointments: Why They Happen and How to Reduce Them | MGMA Fellowship Papers
